Expression of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein in the male reproductive tract: immunolocalisation and expression in prepubertal and adult rat testes and epididymides.

摘要

The expression and distribution of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PBP) in adult and prepubertal rat testes were studied by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. In adult rats, PBP was localized to step 17-19 elongating spermatids, residual bodies and interstitial Leydig cells. In the epididymidis, PBP was localized to epithelial cells of the caput, corpus and cauda regions, and to the cytoplasmic droplets of spermatozoa in the lumen of the initial segment, caput and corpus epididymidis. In prepubertal animals, PBP was expressed in the testes and epididymides from day 1 and day 3 postpartum respectively (day 3 being the earliest epididymidal tissue taken). In prepubertal testes, PBP was localized to Leydig cells from day 1 postpartum and was not detected in any other cell type until the differentiation of elongate spermatids, when it was detected in step 17-19 elongating spermatids. It is suggested that PBP may be involved in the organization of sperm membranes during spermiogenesis.